ActionAid responds to the announcement of a four-day pause

"We welcome the news of a four-day truce which will allow for a scale-up of humanitarian aid in Gaza and will lead to the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are children, which is a much-needed and welcome glimmer of hope in what has been a devastating few weeks for so many.  

Although the four-day humanitarian pause declared in response is a welcome respite after such a prolonged period of violence, it is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the immense humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza right now. Our partners in Gaza are telling us that they are simply not able to meet the scale of demand within such a small time frame - the situation in Gaza right now is nothing short of catastrophic, it needs sustained and unimpeded support far longer than a few days' worth of aid trucks. There is not enough fuel to transport aid around the Strip, so agencies in Gaza are simply unable to reach those in vital need of urgent support in the next four days. Without sustained aid access, many people will die, particularly as winter sets in and many Gazans are left only in the summer clothes they stand in.

The sheer scale of human suffering means that a four-day pause will hardly scratch the surface of the extensive assistance required for the affected communities. What use is giving bread one day if you are to start bombing again the next? The international community must build on this progress and unite in urging for a prolonged and meaningful ceasefire, one that allows for the delivery of essential aid to those in desperate need and ends the suffering of all civilians.”